If you pre-ordered my book, Ferment Your Vegetables, right about now you’ll be seeing your copy on the doorstep. I couldn’t be more excited about that. I’m aflutter with butterflies, overwhelmed with excitement and ready to get it out there and show you what it’s got!

I’m not going to lie: making this book was big work. I spent a long time and a lot of thought working to make a book that would be helpful and inspiring to you. I wanted this book to fully explore every kind of vegetable fermentation I know and love. I wanted to build a guide that would inspire you (experienced fermenters) to explore areas you haven’t explored, but also one that was completely approachable and easy for you (folks who haven’t yet dived into vats of sour bubbly things) to use with total comfort.

So here’s some fun stuff in there that I think you’ll like:

Focus on technique – While recipes are important (and I really hope you love mine; I worked hard to make them awesome), you really don’t need me to tell you how to pickle every vegetable under the sun. I wanted readers to develop a deep understanding of how and why fermentation works, so that they (you) could feel free to experiment within the few “rules” of vegetable fermentation.

Photos – Just OMG, you guys. Courtney Apple did the photos and Barbara Botting did the styling, and I just want to brag on them all the time. I was on set for the entire shoot, and I truly believe that these two pros made the most beautiful possible photos that have ever been taken of fermented vegetables. That’s not hyperbole. I have never seen anything like these pics! They are stunners that make me feel really proud of the recipes I created.

Simplicity – Although there’s a whole section with some less common fermentation styles (nuka, Indian-style sun pickles, etc), Part Two of the book is dedicated to showing how simple vegetable fermentation can be. I truly believe that vegetable fermentation is a basic and essential cooking skill and I hope this book helps everyone to feel that way.

Fun –I love fermentation, not in small part because I have loads of fun with it. I want you to have fun with it too, and my goal was to infuse that spirit into the book.

Tradition + New Ideas – Looking for basic sauerkraut? We got you! Straight up, spicy kimchi? Plenty of it. Classic dill pickles? They’re here! BUT, I wanted to share my crazier favorites, too, so new and experienced fermenters alike could see that it’s fun and easy to move beyond mustard seeds and cabbage, into ingredients and flavors you may not have considered. Some of my favorite recipes in the book are the most unexpected ones. Don’t miss the Sauerkraut Satay, Carrot Cake Kraut, Celery Kvass or Pumpkin Spice Kimchi.

Whether you pre-ordered Ferment Your Vegetables long, long ago, or you’re just getting around to ordering, there’s time to get a signed copy! The first 100 people by Monday, 10/26 at 12pm EST to email me proof of purchase with the subject “Bookplate, Please!” will receive a personally inscribed book plate to place inside the book.

It’s a super cute sticker that I’ll make out to you (or the name of your choice) and send to you in the mail.

You can buy Ferment Your Vegetables in your local bookstores and online in all the normal spots.

If you see an Amazon link here, it may be an affiliate link. That means I get a small percentage back from purchases you make after you click. Your price remains unchanged, and I do appreciate it! It gives me a little extra wiggle room for recipe testing and other fun fermenty things.

All photos in this post were taken by Courtney Apple and styled by Barbara Botting. They are the property of Quarto Publishing.